Scottish Parliament

Written Answers

Wednesday 19 January 2000

Scottish Executive

Air Accident

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2120 by Lord Hardie on 8 November 1999, when and by whom information regarding litigation by the Ministry of Defence against the manufacturers of the FADEC system was brought to the attention of the Crown Office.

Lord Hardie: As I explained in my answer to question S1W-2912, questions about the FADEC software were first brought to the attention of the Crown Office by solicitors acting for the family of one of those killed in the accident. As I explained in my answer to question S1W-2585, that was on 30 December 1997. As I explained in my answer to question S1W-3010, the Crown Office immediately sought and obtained from the Ministry of Defence a full account of the issue and that account included information about the litigation. As I also explained in my answer to question S1W-2585, that information was received on 17 March 1998. As I explained in my answer to question S1W-2587 the details and basis of the settlement are a matter for the Ministry of Defence. So are the details of the litigation. As was also explained in my answer to questions S1W-2120 and S1W-3010, there is no evidence to suggest that information about that litigation would have made any difference to the outcome of the Fatal Accident Inquiry. And, as I explained in my answer to question S1W-2002, the allegations in relation to the FADEC software were considered fully by the House of Commons Defence Committee in March 1998. That Committee concluded that there was no evidence to support claims that design flaws in the aircraft or its components contributed to the crash.

Education

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to publish the results of its recent review of Education Authority anti-bullying policies.

Mr Sam Galbraith: The Scottish Executive have no plans to publish the results of the review of education authority anti-bullying policies which was carried out in 1997. At the time of requesting information local authorities were advised that this information would not be made publicly available.

Enterprise

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide an estimate of the net cost to Scottish business of a 0.25% increase in interest rates.

Henry McLeish: The Scottish Executive does not make such estimates.

Fisheries

Richard Lochhead (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it intends to support the inclusion of Article 12.5, outlined in the draft regulations on European Structural Assistance in the fisheries sector, in the final document.

Mr John Home Robertson: Article 12.5 of the draft has now been included in the final regulation.

Health

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, by health board area, the number of healthcare workers who have reported needle stick injuries over the last five years.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, by health board area, the number of hours of absence and the cost of hours of absence of healthcare workers caused by needle stick injuries over the last five years.

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will detail, by health board area, the number and cost of litigation cases raised due to needle stick injuries over the last five years.

Susan Deacon: Information on the incidence of needle stick injuries over the last three years in the NHS in Scotland is currently being collated and will be made available when complete.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are being taken to address the problem of chlamydia in younger age groups.

Susan Deacon: The promotion of sexual health is a priority for the Executive and we are working to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections, including among young people.

  A Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network development group has considered the prevention and management of genital chlamydial infection and the group’s draft guidelines are at present the subject of consultation.

  The National Screening Committee has established two pilot screening programmes to assess the feasibility of a UK opportunistic population-based screening programme for genital chlamydial infection.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether a sufficient quantity of meningitis A and C vaccine is available to meet current and projected needs, including the needs of the new intake of students into Scottish universities.

Susan Deacon: Yes, although in some cases the level of demand may exceed the amount of vaccine immediately available to general practitioners. My Department’s letter inviting first-time students to be immunised made it clear that any not immunised before starting their courses would be able to be immunised either through the Student Health Service or by a general practitioner where they are attending university or college. Supplies began to be made available to general practitioners from 20 September and continued to be issued as required. Vaccine was also issued to health boards for use at universities and colleges as supplies became available. There was sufficient vaccine to immunise all first-time students coming forward.

Health

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what factors have been identified to explain why the five year survival rate from lung cancer in Scotland is approximately 6%, the European average is approximately 10% and the USA average is 14% and what action is proposed to address this situation.

Susan Deacon: Variations in reported survival figures may be due in part to known differences in the way cancer registration data are collected in other countries. However, research tends to suggest that some of the difference must be due to late presentation by individuals to seek a medical opinion once symptoms suggestive of lung cancer appear.

  The association between smoking and lung cancer is well known. By encouraging people to stop smoking – or not to start smoking – we are aiming to stop people contracting lung cancer in the first place. For those people who do develop lung cancer it is imperative that they seek medical advice as soon as any symptoms suggestive of the disease appear.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to reducing deaths from all cancers by 20% by 2010 (against the 1995 baseline). To meet that target it is necessary to look at early presentation and promoting better health by raising awareness of the benefits of improved diet and otherwise healthier lifestyles on which major initiatives are currently underway. The emerging managed cancer clinical networks, comprising specialists and clinicians from all disciplines working together to ensure that everyone has access to the best quality of care possible, will provide the focus for continuous improvements in care underpinned by prospective clinical audit. Arrangements are in hand to establish these networks across the country, the first phase of which is concentrating on lung cancer (as well as breast, colorectal and gynaecological cancers).

Health

Mr Michael McMahon (Hamilton North and Bellshill) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in awarding work contracts, any NHS Trust requiring a private build solution has awarded a contract to an organisation already utilising NHS property.

Susan Deacon: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what precise role Community Resource Centres will have in the management of patients requiring secondary care in Angus.

Susan Deacon: Community Resource Centres envisage a new model of holistic care providing integrated primary and secondary health services and social services within locally accessible centres. The precise role of Community Resource Centres in Angus is a matter for Tayside Health Board and its planning partners.

Housing

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will introduce provisions for Scottish courts to use discretionary powers, such as suspended repossession orders, to assist homeowners who are facing repossession of their homes due to temporary financial difficulties.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have made it clear that we are willing to support suitably drafted proposals for legislation to protect those in temporary financial difficulties who are facing repossession.

Justice

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what estimates, if any, have been made of the expected number of prosecutions and/or convictions arising as a result of the activities of the Drug Enforcement Agency on a yearly basis for 1999-2000 and any future years for which estimates are available.

Mr Jim Wallace: The prime function of the Scottish Drug Enforcement Agency will be to co-ordinate the intelligence and operational elements of the Scottish Crime Squad in co-operation with force drug squads and in consultation with other law enforcement and intelligence agencies. This will ensure that resources are deployed strategically in response to identified threats and targets.

  The purpose of the Agency is to enhance and expand the enforcement effort against drug misuse and reduce the availability of illegal drugs in Scotland. The operations, priorities and targets for the Agency will be determined by its Director who will be appointed in February 2000.

Ministerial Correspondence

Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when I will receive a reply to my letter dated 22 November to Jackie Baillie regarding Dundee Women’s Aid.

Jackie Baillie: I replied on 11 January.

Parliamentary Questions

Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, when it intends to answer outstanding questions S1W-1364 and S1W-1366, lodged on 2 September 1999.

Mr Jim Wallace: These questions were answered on 17 January.

Parliamentary Questions

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will provide a substantive answer to question S1W-945.

Ms Wendy Alexander: I have today answered question S1W-945.

Prison Service

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-2006 by Mr Jim Wallace on 3 November, whether it will provide percentage staff turnover figures since April 1999 for Barlinnie Prison, Edinburgh Prison, Kilmarnock Prison, Perth Prison and Peterhead Prison.

Mr Jim Wallace: The percentage of staff who have left each of these prisons from 1 April - 31 October 1999 is shown in the following table.

  


Prison 

  

% Turnover 

  



Barlinnie 

  

5.06 

  



Edinburgh 

  

4.62 

  



Kilmarnock 

  

14.7 

  



Perth 

  

5.8 

  



Peterhead 

  

3.98

Public Consultation

Kate MacLean (Dundee West) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is committed to an inclusive consultation process which equally involves all of the people of Scotland.

Mr Jack McConnell: Yes. We have supported the establishment of the Civic Forum, the Race Equality Advisory Forum and the Women in Scotland Consultative Forum, to extend civic participation in the process of policy development. Moreover, Executive Bills are be accompanied by a policy memorandum which sets out an impact assessment showing the effect of proposed legislation on equal opportunities, and follow an extensive consultative process.

Public Relations

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1711 by the First Minister on 30 September 1999, whether it is yet in a position to specify the value of any contracts operated by Beattie Media on behalf of (i) the Scottish Executive; (ii) local authorities; (iii) local enterprise companies; (iv) health boards and (v) health trusts and whether they were secured by competitive tender.

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-1711 by the First Minister on 30 September 1999, whether it is yet in a position to publish a list of the contracts operated by Beattie Media on behalf of (i) the Scottish Executive; (ii) local authorities; (iii) local enterprise companies; (iv) health boards, and (v) health trusts.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive published a report today on contacts and contracts between Scottish public bodies for which it has responsibility and professional public relations organisations. This report contains relevant information which is not commercially confidential.

Public Relations

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which advertising, public relations, marketing, market research or opinion research companies it has employed since its creation, which projects they have worked on and how much they have been or will be paid.

Donald Dewar: Details are as follows:

  


Advertising 

  

£ 

  



Faulds Advertising Ltd 

  

Recruitment to Childrens Panels 

  

122,000 

  


 

Electoral Registration 

  

26,000 

  


 

European Elections 

  

32,000 

  


 

Fire Safety 

  

98,000 

  


 

Road Safety 

  

263,000 

  



Barkers Scotland 

  

Domestic Abuse 

  

401,000 

  


 

Child Care 

  

81,000 

  


 

Teacher Recruitment 

  

37,000 

  



  The figures given are the costs of the campaigns.

  


Market and Opinion Research 

  



Customer Management Consultancy 

  

Complainers to the Scottish Legal 

  Services Ombudsman 

  



George Street Research Ltd 

  

Householders’ Understanding of 

  Title Conditions 

  



George Street Research Ltd 

  

Evaluation of New Ways of Testing 

  Community Opinion 

  



George Street Research Ltd 

  

Motivations to Public Service 

  



George Street Research Ltd 

  

Resource Database for Advice Agencies 

  



Millar Research 

  

Parental Views on Standards & 

  Quality Publications 

  



MVA Ltd 

  

The 2000 Scottish Crime Survey 

  



Reid Howie Associates 

  

Women and Transport – Moving Forward 

  



Reid Howie Associates 

  

The Evaluation of HM National Induction 

  Centre, Shotts 

  



System Three 

  

Business Finance and Security over 

  Moveable Property 

  



System Three 

  

Survey of Recreational Drugs and 

  Driving 

  



System Three 

  

Survey of Business Crime in Scotland 

  – Sub-Sector Analysis 

  



Scottish Health Feedback 

  

Pre-consultation for new Patient’s 

  Charter 

  



System Three 

  

Survey of schools and school boards 

  views on inspections 

  



Save the Children Scotland 

  

Children and young people’s views 

  on education as part of improvement in Scottish Education Bill 

  



  Cost information for each project is commercially confidential. The total cost of all the projects is £677,000.

  No public relations or marketing companies have been employed during the period.

Public Relations

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive which public relations, information, marketing, market research or opinion research companies are employed by each of the Scottish Executive agencies, non-departmental public bodies, NHS trusts and local public spending bodies for which it is responsible, which projects they have worked on or are working on and how much they have been or will be paid.

Donald Dewar: Information about public relations, information and marketing companies that are employed by Scottish public bodies for which the Scottish Executive has direct responsibility is contained in a report which is being lodged in SPICe today. Information about market research or opinion research companies employed by Scottish public bodies is not held centrally. Information about companies employed by local authorities is not included as the Scottish Executive does not have responsibility for such contracts.

  The report has been prepared following my statement to Parliament on 30 September when I said that I had asked officials to investigate the use of public relations and professional lobbying organisations by all the Scottish public bodies for which we have responsibility.

  The report shows that the total expenditure reported by Scottish public bodies for contracts entered into since 1 July or entered into previously and extending beyond 1 July is around £3.8 million. Of this total, £1.1 million is accounted for by public information campaigns, such as fire safety in the home, mounted by the Scottish Executive through the Scottish Executive’s Information Directorate. No other part of the Scottish Executive has incurred any expenditure in this field.

  The remaining £2.7 million represents a small proportion of the individual budgets of the bodies concerned. It is clear from the reports received from the bodies concerned that the various rules for entering into contracts such as open tendering for all major contracts have been followed. The exercise has been useful in that it has put detailed information on the contacts and contracts between public bodies and public relations organisations in the public domain. I am satisfied that the reports received have not identified any grounds for concern.

  The Executive will keep this matter under close review. I have asked all Cabinet Ministers to take a personal interest in the expenditure on public relations in the areas for which they have responsibility. I will consider whether it would be appropriate to conduct a similar exercise during the course of the year 2000.

Transport

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to Virgin Trains about the policy whereby passengers who purchase SuperAdvanced Saver tickets are allocated seats in smoking coaches.

Sarah Boyack: This is an operational matter for Virgin Trains. The Scottish Executive does not have any powers to intervene.

Transport

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the threat posed to health by smoking in public places and in particular what steps it is taking to encourage or require train operators to ban smoking on all trains.

Sarah Boyack: The Scottish Executive position on smoking in public places is set out in the White Paper, Smoking Kills , copies of which are available from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) .  Officials of the Scottish Executive have had discussions with key players such as the Licensed Trade Association and hospitality trade interests with the intention of persuading them to sign up to a Public Places Charter on the lines set out in the White Paper.

  All smoking is banned on internal Scottish passenger rail services. The cross-border train operating companies make limited provision for passengers who wish to smoke.

Water Charges

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for dealing with any increased burden of water and sewerage charges on poor people in Scotland.

Sarah Boyack: Charging arrangements in Scotland, in particular, the link between charges and Council Tax bands, provide a substantial measure of protection for many of the least well off households.